Chinese Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, Xiao Jie, referred to Mount Everest as “Chomolungma” – its traditional Tibetan name – during the inaugural session of Nepal’s flagship international dialogue, the Sagarmatha Sambaad, instead of the official title of the event.
Jie, who was invited as the keynote speaker for the three-day conference, addressed the gathering in Chinese, with his remarks being translated for the audience. Over the course of his 20-minute speech, he used the name “Chomolungma” ten times, despite the event being named after the peak’s Nepali title, “Sagarmatha.”
"We also noticed it but we are in no power to say anything about it," an official from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, requesting anonymity.
The Sagarmatha Sambaad, named after the world’s highest peak, is a platform for global dialogue on climate change, sustainable development, and regional cooperation.
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The event is attended by delegates from over a dozen countries, including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Qatar, and Pakistan. International bodies such as the United Nations, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, SAARC, BIMSTEC, and ICIMOD are also represented.
Notably, Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel were present at the session but chose not to address the use of the Chinese name for Everest.
This comes despite Oli recently asserting in a public address that the world’s tallest peak should be recognised as “Sagarmatha” – the Nepali name.
The Chinese delegation’s choice to use “Chomolungma” instead of “Sagarmatha” is likely to raise diplomatic eyebrows, given the symbolic importance of the peak’s name in both Nepal and China, which share the Everest border.
The three-day Sagarmatha Sambaad is being held in Kathmandu, providing a platform for dialogue on critical global issues, including climate change and environmental sustainability, with a focus on regional cooperation.
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